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Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

Originally Posted by oneupper

My father fled Hungary in 1946 as it turned communist. I left Venezuela with my family two years ago due the same fears.

"Communism" itself is not the problem. It's the stripping away of freedom.
That is what is happening in Venezuela...not necessarily communism. The goal is as much power as possible. For that goal, institutions are dominated, the "private" or free economy is cornered. Not to necessarily "own" it, but to dominate. (sorry, this is hard to explain).

As for the US as the enemy. It is simply NOT true. Venezuelans, in general, have no special feeling for the US. However, a small group of cold war dinosaurs have made their way into power with Chavez and are trying to stir up hatred. Sure, if your president (who many admire) is on the air daily saying you're poor and unemployed because of the US...well the hatred picks up.

That certainly sheds a lot of light on your POV and makes me understand where you are coming from.

Get your nunchucks and the keys to your dad's car. I know where we can get a gun

Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

This seems to be Topic A on talk radio today. Most of the callers seem to favor pulling Robertson's tax exemption. Some callers are upset that anyone who professes to be a stalwart Christian would advocate killing a world leader.

In any case, I imagine that a former 2-time Presidential candidation spouting off like this is unhelpful to the administration's foreign policy goals in the region. The State Department has already denounced and distanced itself from the remarks.

Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

The amazing thing is that anyone takes Pat Robertson seriously anymore than they do any other televangelist. And why doesn't he just issue a word of knowledge to get rid of the problem. "There is a political figure in South America who is dropping over dead to the judgment hand of God right now."

Federal judges are a more serious threat to America than Al Qaeda and the Sept. 11 terrorists, the Rev. Pat Robertson claimed yesterday.
"Over 100 years, I think the gradual erosion of the consensus that's held our country together is probably more serious than a few bearded terrorists who fly into buildings," Robertson said on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."

"I think we have controlled Al Qaeda," the 700 Club host said, but warned of "erosion at home" and said judges were creating a "tyranny of oligarchy."

Confronted by Stephanopoulos on his claims that an out-of-control liberal judiciary is the worst threat America has faced in 400 years - worse than Nazi Germany, Japan and the Civil War - Robertson didn't back down.

"Yes, I really believe that," he said. "I think they are destroying the fabric that holds our nation together."

Robertson's comments came with a showdown looming in the Senate over seven of President Bush's conservative judicial nominees who have been blocked by Democrat filibusters. Republicans have threatened a "nuclear option" to pass the judges by rewriting Senate rules to stop the filibusters.

Sources told the Daily News that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist lacks the 50 votes he needs, which could be a blow to his presidential hopes. "I don't think Frist has the votes," a GOP aide said. "He's now in his own corner. If he doesn't have the votes, he's really screwed."

Robertson echoed that sentiment. "I just don't see him as a future President," Robertson said.

With James Gordon Meek

Originally published on May 2, 2005

The widow is gathering nettles for her children's dinner; a perfumed seigneur, delicately lounging in the Oeil de Boeuf, hath an alchemy whereby he will extract the third nettle and call it rent. ~ Carlyle

Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

There's plenty wrong with Chavez, but we in the U.S. don't get to question election legitimacy anymore. We punted that privilege.

Vladmir Putin sets himself up to be President for life? Oh well. A group of Haitians decides it's easier to win power with machine guns than at the polls? Have at it.

Muslim extremism? In Venezuela? Are there Muslims in Venezuela? That strikes me like worrying about a Hindu attack from Iceland.

Anyway, Chavez has committed the great sin of not liking us. Big deal. Honestly I'm not sure why Bolivia hasn't declared war on us for harboring the senior management of Bechtel, talk about having a terrorist enclave inside your borders. Let Chavez foment away. If we act responsibly and treat the nations in South and Central America with respect, it'll fall on deaf ears. If we reprise our usual act where we vacillate between ripping them off and strong-arming them, then Chavez will see a lot of heads nodding affirmations when he's tearing into us.

Pat Robertson is the master of the Christian fatwah.

Baseball isn't a magic trick ... it doesn't get spoiled if you figure out how it works. - gonelong

Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

Originally Posted by oneupper

My father fled Hungary in 1946 as it turned communist. I left Venezuela with my family two years ago due the same fears.

"Communism" itself is not the problem. It's the stripping away of freedom.
That is what is happening in Venezuela...not necessarily communism. The goal is as much power as possible. For that goal, institutions are dominated, the "private" or free economy is cornered. Not to necessarily "own" it, but to dominate. (sorry, this is hard to explain).

As for the US as the enemy. It is simply NOT true. Venezuelans, in general, have no special feeling for the US. However, a small group of cold war dinosaurs have made their way into power with Chavez and are trying to stir up hatred. Sure, if your president (who many admire) is on the air daily saying you're poor and unemployed because of the US...well the hatred picks up.

Thanks for the explanation of your experiences.
I agree that Chavez is bad news, and I have little doubt but that he rigged the most recent election. Anybody who pals around with Fidel Castro is not someone whom I respect.
All that said, I totally disagree with Robertson's statement. I cannot support a policy of assasinating political leaders, even despots, with whom we disagree. I have real moral misgivings about such a policy, and the unintended results of such a policy can be severe. I'm sure that you can recall all the reports that the attempts of the Kennedy Administration to kill Castro possibly resulted in Castro in turn deciding to try to kill JFK.
Could I accept limited exceptions to a no assasination policy? Sure. Once war commences, then I would regard a nation's leader as another soldier. Absent actual war, no.
With 20-20 hindsight it is easy to say the world would have been much better off had someone put a bullet in Hitler's brain in 1933 or 1938 or any other time prior to his actual death in 1945. Unfortunately, we usually do not have the benefit of 20-20 foresight to state with certainty who is such a monster that he should be killed before he kills millions. Henry Kissinger once speculated that had Hitler been deposed in 1936, many pundits today would argue that it was an overreaction, that Hitler was a simple German nationalist who was no real threat, etc.

Re: Robertson endorses assassinating Chavez

Originally Posted by RedsBaron

Henry Kissinger once speculated that had Hitler been deposed in 1936, many pundits today would argue that it was an overreaction, that Hitler was a simple German nationalist who was no real threat, etc.

A sort of German Pinochet if you will.

Baseball isn't a magic trick ... it doesn't get spoiled if you figure out how it works. - gonelong

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